Otters Alumni Report: Halfway through 2011-12

Midway through the hockey season, former Erie Otters are making their mark at all levels of professional hockey. Let’s take a look at how Otters alumni are faring in the 2011-12 season.

 

National Hockey League

Ryan O’Reilly (2007-2009) is having a breakout season in his third year with the Colorado Avalanche. The two-year Otter and former alternate captain leads the Avalanche in all major statistical categories with 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points, shattering career highs in assists and points. A recent hot streak has propelled the Avalanche to within a point of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

 

Also within a point of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference are the Toronto Maple Leafs, where a healthy Tim Connolly (1997-1999) has collected 22 points in 32 games as a dependable second line center for the Leafs.

 

One of the biggest storylines of the NHL this season has been the turnaround of the St. Louis Blues under Ken Hitchcock, who have been 21-5-6 since the veteran coach took over for Davis Payne on November 6 and are tied the most points in the league with the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks. Defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo (1999-2003) has averaged 19 minutes of ice time for the Blues, collecting 14 points in 32 games.

 

The Otters boast another former player on top of the league standings as Mike Rupp (1997-2000) has become a fan favorite with the Rangers. While Rupp is known for his toughness on the ice, he was a star in HBO’s 24/7 series and scored two goals to lead the Rangers to a victory in the Winter Classic over the Philadelphia Flyers.

 

Yet another former Otter on a top team with Steve Montador (1997-1999) on the Blackhawks. Montador leads Chicago defensemen with five goals for the season and has averaged just over 15 minutes of ice time.

 

Other Otters who have played in the NHL this season include Buffalo’s Brad Boyes (1998-2002, 10 points in 32 games), New Jersey’s Nick Palmieri (2005-2008, seven points in 26 games, now playing at the Devils AHL affiliate in Albany, N.Y.), Montreal’s Chris Campoli (2000-2004, two points in 11 games) and Mike Blunden (2002-2006, three points in 22 games), and Edmonton’s Ryan O’Marra (2003-2007, one assist in five games).

 

American Hockey League

 

A trio of former Otters from last season’s team has played a majority of the season in the AHL. Two of them, Phil Varone (2010-2011) and Shawn Szydlowski (2007-2011), are teammates on the Rochester Americans, the top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

 

After a slow start with just six assists in his first 23 games, Varone has turned it up offensively after injuries in Buffalo meant more ice time for Varone in Rochester. Since December 9, Varone has collected 16 points in 18 games, including his first professional goal on December 16. His 22 points are second on the Americans, and his 17 assists are first on the squad.

 

Szydlowski is still in search of his first pro goal, but he has been with the Americans throughout the season. The Sabres prospect has eight assists in 29 games for Rochester during the campaign.

 

After beginning the year in the ECHL with the Alaska Aces, David Shields (2007-2011) has stuck with the Peoria Rivermen, the AHL affiliate of the Blues, since mid-November. Shields has an assist in 18 games with Peoria after collecting a goal and five assists in 12 games in Alaska. Shields’ teammate, Anthony Peluso (2005-2008), leads the Rivermen with 104 penalty minutes.

 

Jaroslav Janus (2007-2010) has backed up Dustin Tokarski for the Norfolk Admirals this season. The native of Slovakia is 7-5-2 with a 3.04 goals-against-average for the fourth-place team in the

 

Other former Otters in the AHL are Texas Stars forward Luke Gazdic (2006-2009, nine points in 37 games) and Abbotsford Heat defenseman Chris Breen (2008-2009, four points in 33 games).

 

ECHL

In lieu of an All-Star Game, the ECHL introduced a unique program on Monday that would allow fans to choose a “Silver Skater” for a predetermined home game. Three former Otters made the ballot. Cincinnati Cyclones teammates Mike Liambas (2006-2009) and Anthony Luciani (2008-2011) were placed on the ballot along with Wheeling Nailers center and former Otters captain Zack Torquato (2006-2010).

 

Liambas is fifth in the ECHL with 138 penalty minutes in 30 games. Luciani has been a consistent producer on offense with 13 goals and 14 assists in 29 games for the Cyclones, who are three points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

 

Torquato, who holds Erie’s single-season assists record with 62 helpers in the 2009-10 season, leads the Nailers with 20 assists in 32 games. Teammate Andrew Hotham (2004-2007) was having a solid rookie season with 12 points in 16 games until an injury derailed his season in early-December.

 

Also out injured is defenseman Tyler Hostetter (2007-2011), a Flyers prospect. Hostetter had 10 points in five games with the Trenton Titans until he was injured in early-November.

 

With five just regulation losses, the Alaska Aces appear to be on their way to a second straight Kelly Cup. Adam Courchaine (2010) has been part of a two-headed monster in goal with fellow OHL alum Gerald Coleman, and the duo are first and second respectively, on the ECHL’s goals-against-average chart. Courchaine is 12-1-2-1 with a 1,60 goals-against-average and .938 save percentage (also first in the ECHL).

 

Rounding out the Otters in the ECHL is goaltender Shane Owen (2007-2009), who is 5-6-0-3 with a 3.19 goals-against-average and .907 save percentage for the Utah Grizzlies.

 

Central Hockey League

Three former Otters are currently plying their trade in the CHL. Leading the way is defenseman Darren McMillan (1998-2001), who is serving as captain of the Quad City Mallards for his second season. McMillan is tied for the team lead in most points by a defenseman with 12. The Mallards are tied for second with the Evansville IceMen in the Turner Conference.

 

One of the members of the IceMen is forward Sean O’Connor (2003-2007), who has eight goals and 11 assists in 32 games.

 

The third Otters alumnus in the CHL is Chris Greene (2004-2006), who has six points in 22 games for the Berry Conference leaders, the Wichita Thunder.

 

Europe

Many former Erie Otters are playing overseas to continue their careers. Familiar names to Otters fans dot the hockey landscape in Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy and Russia.

 

Rob Hisey (2002-2005) and Adam Munro (1998-2003) are playing in Austria’s Erste Bank Hockey League. Hisey plays for league leaders, EHC Linz, where he has picked up 10 goals and 23 assists in 38 games.

 

Munro, who plays for Hungarian-based Székesfehérvár, has a 2.94 goals-against-average and .914 save percentage this season. His team is in the sixth and final playoff spot in the league, six points ahead of the closest team.

 

Justin Hodgman (2005-2009) is enjoying a good season with the Lahti Pelicans, who are second in the SM-Liiga. Hodgman is third on the team with 24 points.

 

Defenseman Eric Regan (2004-2006) is playing his first year in Europe with the Hannover Scorpions in Germany’s top league. Regan had 10 points in 30 games with the Scorpions.

 

Former captain Brian Lee (2000-2005) is now one of the alternate captains with SSI Vipiteno Broncos of Italy’s Serie A. Lee has five points in 14 games during an injury-shortened campaign.

 

Two former Otters play in Russia’s top league, the KHL. Geoff Platt (2003-2005) continues to be a top producer in his fourth season for Dinamo Minsk in Belarus, where he has a team-leading 26 points. Arvid Rekis (1996-2000), a regular call up to Latvia’s national teams, plays in his native country for Dinamo Riga.

 

CIS

After players exhaust their major junior eligibility, many of them choose to continue their careers in both hockey and academics by playing in Canada’s CIS. The Otters have 11 former players across six colleges in Canada.

 

Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario has three former Otters in Doug Clarkson (2007-2008), Matt Paton (2007-2011) and Paul Cianfrini (2007-2010). Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario feature Sean Jones (2007-2009) and Mitch Gaulton (2006-2011).

 

Josh Vatri (2005-2007) and Jeff Dawson (2006-2007) each suit up for the Ontario Institute of Technology, while Brandon Biggers (2008-2009) and Jhase Sniderman (2003-2006) each play for the University of Prince Edward Island.

 

The other two Otters alumni playing in CIS are Ryerson University’s Kelly Geoffrey (2006-2008) and the University of New Brunswick’s Josh Kidd (2004-2008).